Semester 1 Unit 2 Civil War and Reconstruction

Semester 1 Unit 2 Civil War and Reconstruction Notes 3 – Social Issues of the Civil War

A Soldier’s Life Military Technology

5’ 8” 143 lbs Rifling musket (bullet spins on exit) with the minie 25 years old ball made guns accurate to 250 yards and could kill 1 in 10 chance of being injured from ½ mile away 1 in 13 die of disease 1 in 65 die in battle Ironclad ship: South coated a wooden ship with iron – USS Merrimack Diet in the North: Wormy / moldy food including hard and the North built an iron called the USS Monitor tack (dry biscuits), beans, dried vegetables and meat Ironclads changed the future of navies – wooden ships Diet in the South: Sloosh – fried bacon and cornmeal are now obsolete mixed in the grease and baked over the fire Repeating rifle and early version of machine gun Time off between battles: played cards, gambled (cock fights, raced lice), made moonshine called “oh be joyful”

Difficult in the winter – lots of cold and disease

Medicine Blacks in the War

Did not understand germ theory – therefore was not Were not allowed to fight for the Union until 1862 very sanitary Were paid $10 a month while white troops got $13 a No military hospitals before the war, lots afterwards month

Dorothea Dix starts the women’s nursing service for Only could be commanded by white leaders the Union army – runs a tight ship and does not allow pretty women to join at first. Blacks made up 1% of the Northern population, but by the end of the war they made up 10% of the Union Clara Barton helped Union soldiers on the field army

Lots of amputations because the minie ball shattered 85% of eligible black men enlisted the bone and disconnected it from itself – forcing amputation

Modern U.S. History: Unit 2 Page 10 October 7, 2010 Semester 1 Unit 2 Civil War and Reconstruction Notes 3 – Social Issues of the Civil War

Spies Women in the War

Most spies were women and blacks Some women cut their hair, pretended to be men, and enlisted Women smuggled guns under their hoop skirts to the South Helped as nurses and started the sanitary commission in the North which cut death rates in the hospitals by Freed slaves helped because they could lead Northern half armies through the South Many women had to take over men’s jobs The Southern spy network extended into Canada Women in the South started hospitals in their own homes

Life in the South During the War Life in the North During the War

Famine – not enough food, especially after Sherman Not starving as much

Bread riot in Richmond, VA – women complaining Lincoln issued first draft. You could get out of it by about not enough food and money, government said to paying $300 or hiring a substitute. blame the Yankees Poor Irish immigrants protested and started a riot – Massive inflation (money isn’t worth anything) in the New York Draft Riots South – Confederate money not backed by enough gold Irish did not want to fight to free slaves – saw freed slaves as possible competition for work Turned to barter system as people traded clothes for food

Modern U.S. History: Unit 2 Page 11 October 7, 2010